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Inside the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France, Archbishop Gregory Aymond addressed a congregation grappling with the aftermath of a tragic event that unfolded just blocks away on Bourbon Street. On January 1, during the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, a pickup truck driven by Shamsud-Din Jabbar from Texas plowed into a crowd of New Year’s revelers, resulting in 15 deaths and injuring more than three dozen people.
Authorities reported that Jabbar's rented Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck bypassed removable steel pylons designed to protect pedestrians. The vehicle came to a halt after colliding with a construction crane. Following this, Jabbar opened fire on police officers, wounding two before being fatally shot by law enforcement. The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential terror attack due to an ISIS flag found in Jabbar's truck.
In his sermon at St. Louis Cathedral, located five blocks from where the tragedy ended, Archbishop Aymond reflected on the unpredictability of life and urged those present to find hope in faith amid uncertainty. “I don’t know who would have ever thought that we would be gathering here this morning with what has happened during the night,” he said.
Archbishop Aymond encouraged attendees, including many football fans preparing for the postponed Sugar Bowl game between Notre Dame and Georgia, to look to Mary as a source of hope during difficult times. He emphasized remembering those affected by the attack: “Let us not forget those who feel hopeless — some of those families who have lost loved ones this morning in the terrorist attack.”
Father Pat Williams also commented on the situation during Mass, acknowledging the difficulty in finding perspective but emphasizing that hope persists even amidst tragedy. “Hope is not where everything turns out fine... Hope is that the child born at Christmas is with us all the time,” he said.
After Mass, Archbishop Aymond reiterated that despite challenges to hope caused by violence and loss, faith remains steadfast: “God always gives us hope, even in the midst of tragic situations.” He called for prayers for both victims and perpetrators.
Gayle Benson, owner of local sports teams and reader at Mass, expressed disbelief over the event's occurrence in New Orleans: “I cannot believe that this has happened in our city,” she remarked.
John Blanchard from Alabama and Jonah Walls from Houston were among those attending Mass who shared their reflections on finding solace through prayer and community support following such events.
Peter Finney Jr., executive editor and general manager of Clarion Herald newspaper covering these developments for OSV News.
